About Me

My photo
Matthew Freeman is a Brooklyn based playwright with a BFA from Emerson College. His plays include THE DEATH OF KING ARTHUR, REASONS FOR MOVING, THE GREAT ESCAPE, THE AMERICANS, THE WHITE SWALLOW, AN INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR, THE MOST WONDERFUL LOVE, WHEN IS A CLOCK, GLEE CLUB, THAT OLD SOFT SHOE and BRANDYWINE DISTILLERY FIRE. He served as Assistant Producer and Senior Writer for the live webcast from Times Square on New Year's Eve 2010-2012. As a freelance writer, he has contributed to Gamespy, Premiere, Complex Magazine, Maxim Online, and MTV Magazine. His plays have been published by Playscripts, Inc., New York Theatre Experience, and Samuel French.

Wednesday, November 02, 2005

Harry Reid: Staying on Topic

Reid, a Mormon and Democrat, was someone I had trouble taking seriously. He seemed wishy-washy and overly cautious, treating Howard Dean like a problem to be solved and treating Republicans. What did I know? This man just kicked the Republicans in the balls, to gum up their ever vigilant course-changing machine. God love him for it.

If there's one thing that Democrats have failed to do until this moment, it's adapt. The Republicans have used the same tactics over and over, and each time we find ourselves sitting with our mouths open, pointing, begging someone to come to their senses. It took us a while to realize, apparently, that it's better to be on the attack than on the defense.

With "Scooter" Libby's indictment, this country is moving closer than ever to having a public airing of the lies and crimes of the Bush administration. Libby wasn't Karl Rove, but if you remove the big three from immediate indictment (Bush, Cheney, Rove) it doesn't get much closer than Libby. And while he's "only" faced with obstruction of justice and perjury charges, as that moves forward, he'll be forced to look at serious jailtime, or start talking.

What does the Bush administration do? Bring in a conservative supreme court nominee and annouce their plans to do something about a possible flu pandemic. One of which sounds scary and could have been announced at any time (you'll all get sick!) and the other took less time (four days) than seems healthy for a true re-examination of his choices. The fact is, on Friday Libby was indicted. By Sunday, the news was full of carefully timed "big news" to drown it all out.

Until Reid pulled the parlimentary equivalent of sending the Republicans to their room without supper. Now, they're playing into his hands, calling the move a stunt and being "angry" about it. The important thing is that Iraq, Scooter Libby, and the lies that led to the war in Iraq are back on the front page, where they should be, because Reid wouldn't let Rove change the subject again.

Applause is in order.

No comments: